Thanks to the popularity of Japanese cuisine and Wagamama, the British Asian restaurant chain, Japanese well-liked street food, ‘ramen‘ noodle has been more recognised in London than before. There are more restaurants serving decent ramen, and Tonkotsu is one of them. Among Japanese living in UK, Ittenbari on Brewer street (London’s “Little Japan”), receiving supervision from popular ramen restaurant “Ryukishin” in Osaka, is definitely more favored. However, M, who cares not only taste but also ambience of the place, prefers Tonkotsu, rather than a “hole in the wall” Ittenbari.

Tonkotsu is the latest venue of the Tsuru mini sushi bar chain, dedicated to ramen, just like the ones in Japan – ramen restaurants would never serve sushi or tempura, for your reference to distinguish authentic ramen restaurants from others. Tonkotsu is small, but its simple and modern decor with light wood furniture and earthy light brown wall with hanging gorgeous Kimono textiles is what we like about the place. Their simple menu lists only three kinds of ramen + and few side dishes, including Japanese style fried dumplings ‘gyoza‘ (it is quite common to eat gyoza together with ramen in Japan. See the photo at the bottom). This kind of simple menu is a normal practice in Japan as well. It seems that one of the three founders of Tsuru is Japanese, so he wouldn’t do any no-nos here. Their signature dish ‘tonkotsu (it means pork bones in Japanese)’ ramen was dense and a bit heavy, but it was quite nice and authentic. The tonkotsu ramen costs £11, which is more than double the average price of ramen in Japan, but we are in London and I am afraid it can’t come cheap.

The taste of ramen may be better at Ittenbari, but if you are on a date, go for Tonkotsu for better atmosphere. Ittenbari is a typical Japanese ramen restaurant, who care only about the taste but nothing else, like chippies in UK.

豚骨ラーメン £11（上はM用大盛り）/ Tonkotsu ramen £11 (the one above is the large portion for M)

豚餃子（£5＝約630円）。味は普通だけど、値段の割に少なすぎ / pork ‘gyoza’ dumplings £5. Just average, and it is too small for its price for Japanese standard

Hoxton’s popular Vietnamese restaurant Cây Tre stretched its hand to the west; the Vietnamese Kitchen Group, the owner of Cây Tre as well as Viet Grill on Kingsland Road, London’s little Saigon, and recently opened Kêu!bánh mì deli, has opened a new venue in SOHO.

Cây Tre SOHO is spacious and cheerful, and its modern and stylish interior defies an image of conventional Vietnamese restaurants in London. But all these niceness, as well as its prime location of central London, cost us. Food are pricier than other sister restaurants: Phở £8.50 (Cây Tre Hoxton: £6.50); summer rolls £4.50 (Cây Tre Hoxton: £3.50); and Com Saigon £9.50, for example. Also the portion were quite small considering the high prices. Obviously value for money at the SOHO branch is unsatisfactory for people like me who are used to reasonable Kingsland Road prices. Though people seem to love the chain, I don’t think the taste of Cây Tre and other group restaurants is so better than other Vietnamese in Kingsland Road…

But the worst experience of the day was not the price or food, but its service. It was late afternoon and almost empty, as you can see in a photo, but M didn’t get his Phở even after I finished all my food an hour ago. Usually it doesn’t take more than 10 minutes to get a bowl of noodles in any places, so obviously the waiter forgot the order. We complained, but no proper apology came back. Also I don’t like that our bill was given inside a fancy paper cover with greasy stains.

I would believe that the best place to eat Vietnamese is the East, after my experience in Cây Tre SOHO…